Sewer stoppage in Mt Vernon., Wa

Think you have a sewer problem? This customer has a 50 year old, 200' long sewer that travels 160' feet under a city sidewalk and a street to tie into the city's combination storm drain/sewer.

I had to use 1-1/2 reels of sewers cable to clear the stoppage.

Water leak at the water meter

Sometimes a small leak can defy even the best DIY'er. This water meter had been repaired five times by the owner of a quadplex in Ferndale, Wa. and, according to a tenant, by another local plumbing outfit.

The before picture:

Ferndale, Washington water meter

The after picture:

After picture in Ferndale, Wa

Our plumbing shop in snow

Snowed in neighbors

Price Complaints

Whenever I leave a job, you'll hear "If there are any problems, call me." My warranty is honest...as long as the problem is my workmanship.

Lately, I've had a complaint about the price. Most of the time, the price is out of the price book (that's 4 years old) and a written work order has been approved and signed.

Okay, standard stuff for repair work. You get a price for it that includes parts and labor (excludes the Gov's Fee). If it takes me twice as long, the price is the same, right? My regulars know this to be true and as a consumer, I personaly prefer it this way.

But what if everything goes quick and my 30 years (yikes) of repair experience finally pays off and I gain an hour on ya? Should I discount the price? If I discount it, should I increase it if it takes me twice as long?

This all stems from a complaint on Angies List about a 250.00 bill. I left a response similar to this post, but more direct. I did NOT refund any money for the same reasons I posted here.

Bellingham type of day

Wow---I'm doing the hardest sewer replacement yet. It's not deep, rocky, or hilly, but it is wet!

The top of the ground was wet and puddling in some places, but I thought that there was another leak; that it couldn't be the sewer that's 4 feet under. I was wrong. After 5 hours of digging around, I found a cesspool-not an intentional one-where a sewer should have been.

I tried to rooter it through the open sewer, but the line is so bad, I think the snake was going through mud...or not. I'm having the City of Bellingham check their line, too.

I'm getting a backhoe in tomorrow and having it done. What a mess.

www.ballplumbing.net

Plumbing

A Grand Dame of Fairhaven, WA (95-year-old Lady) had broken a very valuable glass and most of it went down her disposal. She wasn't amused when it took me less than a minute to repair it, but at least I was able to salvage the unit, if not put the glass back together. I hope I'm as active, good-looking, and richer than her at 95. Well, I can sure rule out good-looking....:)

Did a water heater in Blaine, WA today. Darn thing was only 9 years old and the tank gave out. Of course, the homeowners were on vacation when it blew out, so the garage walls were damaged. It was a 50 gallon Bradford White water heater and I replaced it with the same. Not much choice up here for brands.

From there, I went to Sedro-Woolley, WA to a mobile home that had a broken PVC water main under the house. It took longer for the glue to dry than anything. Darn PVC, anyway.

So I went to a millionaire to a border town to a mobile home in a logging town....such is the life of a plumber!

ABS City

It's been an ABS sorta day. First, I had a broken ABS fitting in Sudden Valley. What was sad was the house is only 4 years old. The plumbing (probably the whole house) was done by a "boom" construction company.

Then across town to Fairhaven to a collapsed ABS sewer line. That's scheduled for replacement on Thursday.

I use only the best PVC material and fittings and all my work is permitted and closely inspected and today proves me right.

Stupid Keller Supply. I'm actually looking forward to them moving---I'll be forced to use other suppliers. They are real close to me right now and that's the only reason I use them.